FIN

Hello! My heart aches as I begin this email, because I have to say goodbye, but I’m learning to find peace in the knowledge that missions don’t end when you get off the plane and return home. This mission in Japan has been really hard. I think I’ve struggled a lot, and in many ways I wonder... have I failed? Have I done enough? My companion says that sometimes you have to plow through the heavy stuff, or you’ll sink into the mud like the horse from the Never Ending Story.
I have worn this name badge with Jesus Christ’s name over my heart and that has helped me follow my Savior. Now His name is written on my heart, and I can keep being a witness of Jesus Christ. Serving a mission was a gift I was given. I am so grateful. I wasn’t sure if I would be able to go or not....But no doubt a mission was the best decision FOR my life. When I look back over the work that’s been performed during my mission, it’s easy to be hard on myself. I strive to remember: you grow just as much when you are trying to help people as when you DO help people. And in God’s eyes as well, we DO get credit for trying. If everything I’ve ever done on my mission just turns to dust,  I can still walk away from this experience with
1. A burning witness that this church is true and
2. Practical spiritual tools to help me deal with upcoming challenges.

I bear my testimony to you that Christ does stand by you and has experienced every pain and affliction known to man. I know He is fighting for you every step of the way. I know there is true joy and peace in relying on principle rather than on circumstance. I see all these missionaries around me working hard and following the Spirit and I know this is God’s work.

Thanks for reading these emails!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! <333333333

See you on the other side,
Sister Rogers

Weeks 72 & 73: Pictures

Sorry I haven’t sent pictures in a while....

One of the members works at the Mazda Museum giving English tours.

The Mazada Museum in Hiroshima

On the ferry to Bunny Island

Traveling to Bunny Island

Loved all the bunnies :)

Just a lil tired haha

Cutest baby evah 😭

 

Indo curry

 A recent convert of Sister Askew (MTC comp)

An awesome member named Sister Ooba taking us to visit far away less active church members (and get ice cream)

The Hiroshima Church

Weeks 70 & 71: The Best Week Ever

Bunny Island - Ōkunoshima

Taking it from the top, because this week was something else!

Last Saturday, Sister Wright and I prayed specifically to find a family, which is something I have not done before. We had an image of what this family would be like. So we set off searching, chasing a vision that--with righteous desire--God would lead us to the family. Every person we talked to in the coming days was amazing, because we truly believed that those people might just be the family we prayed for.

But also on Monday we went to this sublime little piece of heaven called Bunny Island, and frolicked with herds of wild bunnies, and that gave us the energy and hope to keep going, keep going even when we were tired and just not sure...
Because when we returned home from Bunny Island that Monday, we realized I had made a huge mistake. We had left our bikes in a place where, if you don't return in 30ish minutes, they get whisked away to a bike lot that's a 2hr walk away. Little bit awkward, because we kind of had an appointment in the next hour. But we remembered Bunny Island and kept going. We decided to board the trolley and that would be a temporary travel solution just for the appointment we had. Well, we got on the trolley, and TWO MINUTES later the lady called and said, "I can't meet tonight. Come again --this time, this day--." We got off the trolley at the next stop, laughing about how ridiculous the whole situation was. Then, we prayed and felt like we should go knock the doors of this apartment right in front of us. Well, we found a family in that apartment that was:

-3 people
-liked English
-one of the parents was a foreigner

Just like we had imagined. So just 48 hrs after our prayer, we found the family we wanted. The dad was Japanese, and said, "Yeah come on in!" The mom was from Vietnam and made us sandwiches. The 13 year old daughter was good at English and wanted to continue learning. When we walked away, we were dying. God answers prayers! And even when we make mistakes, God can make it work for our good and turns out the whole bike situation might just have been part of the plan, right? Pretty sweet.

This week, we also met with two kinjin (golden people, aka people that want to be taught) Chinese families. One of the moms named Suwenwen is progressing so well. The last lesson we taught her she said she would read the BOM and if she received an answer from God, she would receive baptism. When Sister Wright and I stumbled away from that lesson, we just looked at each other in shock and agreed that was the best lesson we've taught on our missions. I attribute it to the fact that we used passages from the Book of Mormon to back up everything we testified about.
So, because of prayer, we didn't get just the one family we asked for, but two other families! We have had friendly interactions with the dads in these two other Chinese families, so the future is bright!

Today, we got transfer calls... I will be STAYING in Hikari Hiroshima with Sister Wright for my last transfer, and I could not be more excited! We were like jumping beans and eggs when we got the call. hehe We have decided to make this transfer the best transfer yet by participating in a spiritual 40 day fast challenge. It's not fasting from food or from water. Please look up the article and join me!

The church is true. The book is blue.

Love,
Sister Rogers

Weeks 67, 68, & 69: Connection is slow and time is short...

 Sister Wright is ✨💥🌊 and I love her for it, haha

It has been a great couple of weeks. My connection is slow and time is short...

I am so happy in Japan. This week we found two grandpas that are interested in learning about the gospel. We went to the Hiroshima Bomb Museum. I almost got creamed on my bike. Sister Wright and I made up an elbow dance. We role-played how to invite someone to baptism with a member that is fluent in both Japanese and English. This coming week we are going to the Mazda Museum. We will be meeting with a lady from Peru. I will begin revising my Missionary White Handbook into a Life White Handbook, and we are going to make cookies for members.

Sorry my time is up.... HAVE A GREAT SUPER BOWL SUNDAY!
Sister Rogers

Indo curry in Fukuoka

Hiroshima Bomb Museum

Hiroshima Bomb Museum

Hiroshima Peace Park

Hiroshima Peace Park/Museum

Our district

I eat fermented soy beans most mornings. Legend has it that it improves your Japanese.

 Peach Coca-Cola 👌

If we were guys... haha!

Weeks 65 & 66: A little different email...

New Years has people at the shrines in lines like it's Disney Land.

Something I'm learning on my mission is how important it is to always
show love to those that are closest to you. Why is this important? I
look to the example of Jesus Christ, and I think: How can I not try to
love others better, after knowing how much He suffered for each person
individually? Jesus Christ has engravened each of us on the palms of
His hands. He loved those and suffered for those that may never love
him back... Surely, then I can find more ways to love those that have
supported me, helped me, and encouraged me.

Isaiah 49
15....yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.
16 Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls
are continually before me.

If Christ is the reason for what we do, complaints and doubts can be
replaced by gratitude and conviction. Jesus did so much for people who
ultimately, in return, can do so little. He is my strength! I want to be
a better person to show gratitude to Him for that.

This gospel of Jesus Christ uplifts, informs, and inspires me. It
gives me a lifelong goal that extends beyond what the world sees. I
want to measure up to a standard that's engraved on my soul. When I
pray, I can see glimpses of my divine potential. There's so much more
than this mortal perspective. Sometimes it's so hard to think beyond
it, but this week try reading your patriarchal blessing and try to
imagine the person God wants you to become.

Christian philosopher Søren Kierkegaard said,
“Life must be understood backward. But … it must be lived forward.”

Maybe it seems overwhelming to be the person God wants you to be. I
think as a missionary I've never tried so hard to align my life to the
Savior's...Following Christ is no easy task. In fact, I'm always
falling flat on my face. But I know we can do it to the point that we
would feel comfortable to dwell in God's presence, because of Jesus
Christ. Jesus Christ is always walking beside us.

Isaiah 49
10 They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun
smite them: for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by
the springs of water shall he guide them.

Please read "Always Remember Him" Elder Gerrit W. Gong. This talk has
been my life line!

Have a wonderful week. I love y'all. hehe

Sister Rogers

Fog on the mountains

Goodnight from Hikari Shimai >:)

These are everywhere for New Years.... looks tasty.

She drew us

Sister Sakura has the best smile!

A pillar of light above the brightness of the sun...

We made 75 valentines cards with a member 😅

My new comp Sister Wright!! She's drop dead gorgeous right? She's single too. hehe

Weeks 63 & 64: There are no Coincidences

Sayaka-Chan

We were accidentally biking up a mountain a few days ago and about half way up there were some promising looking apartments. We'd worked pretty hard to get to that point, so why not stop there? But nope. We had to keep going, even though neither of us knew why. When we got to the top of the mountain, we were greeted by the heavenly sight of a random vending machine, and it felt like we were on the right track. After walking our bikes through rows of houses, we parked and began knocking on houses at the edge of the neighborhood. On the third door, I pushed the intercom button. As I started to say, "Konbanwa," I was cut off by a woman through the intercom saying, "Rogers Shimai!" The door opened and it was a cute young mom that comes to our English class with her two kids. She was just as surprised as us, because, wow, what are the odds of finding someone like that in a city? We had no idea where Ai-san lived, and yet God had led us right to her. She gave us a bag of tangerines, and in exchange we gave her the Book of Mormon. It would have been the perfect night except on the way back down the mountain in the dark, there was a wild boar right next to the road. Needless to say, we were kind of terrified. I got a video, but it looks like a Bigfoot clip. We chased off the boar and were able to make it home safely (but maybe a few minutes late). Just another day in Hikari.

Ai-san's daughter and Sister Yagai

Ai-san's son

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! The greatest gift I received was the letters from my family and extended family. Thank you so, so much for your love and support. It means so much to me.

Sayaka-chan received baptism!! I was a wreck that day, but I am just so grateful my companion and I had the opportunity to teach her about the church. Whenever I can recognize just how much the Lord is guiding us to people as I did when we met Ai-san, I am reminded that God loves all people, and He has a plan for each of us. There are people we were friends with from before this life that need our help. We can find our friends. I know this is God's work! Everyone has a part.

Happy New Year!!
Sister Rogers

Baptism day!

Christmas Fort

Kiribayashi family

My sweet companion

Tanaka family

Red-eye correct 😂